Three charged in Robert Hamill murder

Three men have been charged in the murder of Robert Hamill, a Catholic who was kicked to death in April 1997 on his way home by a group of Loyalists in Portadown, County Armagh. His case has been the subject of a public inquiry. One of the men charged is believed to be a former police officer.

Hamill,25 , a father of two, was on his way home after a night out when confronted and kicked to death at a neighborhood known as a notorious sectarian flashpoint. He died eleven days later from his injuries.

The presence of police at the scene has led to massive controversy that has never faded.

Nationalist claimed that Royal Ulster Constabulary members witnessed the beating but refused to intervene.

He was represented by attorney Rosemary Nelson who was herself assassinated in 1999 for what many believe was her attempts to follow up and identify the Hamill killers. There is a separate public inquiry into her death.

The Public Prosecution Service issued a statement on Tuesday announcing the arrests.

" The PPS has confirmed that, following a review of all the available evidence including that given to the Hamill Tribunal, it has concluded that the Test for Prosecution is met in respect of two persons for an offense of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and one person for an offense of doing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice."

Having completed this review, the PPS has concluded that the test for prosecution is met in respect of two persons for an offence of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice and one person for doing an act with intent to pervert the course of public justice."